Anything Could Happen
by Winter's Silence
Summary: All Zuko wants is peace and quiet so he can meditate. When he comes to after a strange meditation, he realizes that he's definitely not near the Western Air Temple anymore. Or in his own world, for that matter. {ZxK} Modern AU... of a sort
1. Peace and Quiet

**Disclaimer:I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender**

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I don't know where I belong  
I don't know where I went wrong

-"Ho Hey" by The Lumineers

* * *

All Zuko wanted was peace and quiet.

He didn't understand why it was so hard for them to be quiet. They _knew _that as a firebender, he needed to meditate daily. And to do it right, he needed silence.

When Zuko first joined the Avatar and his friends, he quickly learned there was always something going on. Training, cleaning, and battle strategies filled up most of their day. With the Comet coming at the end of summer, there wasn't any time for leisurely activities.

Which was why Zuko needed to focus. He needed to be in complete control of his firebending during the upcoming battle.

But with so much commotion going on, it was impossible.

Because it was out of the question during the day,Zuko resolved to meditating in the early morning and late at night. The former was easy; a firebender rose with the sun, naturally awake before any other being. The latter, however, was difficult. A child of Agni begins to feel sluggish as soon as the sun is low in the sky.

At hearing a crash, Zuko opened a golden eye. When the sound was followed by laughter, Zuko sighed as he stood up from his seat on the ground. It appeared that the others had woken up.

Though Zuko wasn't done meditating, he walked out of his room towards the courtyard. He didn't think as he strode through the stone hallways of the Western Air Temple. He hadn't been there too long, but still long enough to memorize the winding corridors. He came to an open area just on the edge of the temple. The Avatar and his group sat on large slabs of stone (courtesy of the earthbender) just in front of a large mural depicting a group of flying bison.

The group laughed as they good-naturedly teased the Avatar's flying lemur, sending the creature crashing into the walls and other barriers the small earthbender girl was creating.

"Oh, Momo," said the tattooed boy as he leaned down to pet his currently riled up companion. "You know we're just trying to have some fun."

_Fun._

The word constantly fell from the boy's lip. Everything had to be _fun_, or there wasn't any point. Before joining him, Zuko had thought the Avatar to be mature and dignified. Not some scrawny teenager who acted like a child.

As soon as they heard Zuko's footsteps, the group turned. Upon seeing him, their reactions were all very different.

The Avatar grinned, albeit cautiously, and waved to him. The blind earthbender just shrugged and began picking at her toes. The Water Tribe siblings narrowed theirs eyes and looked away, starting a conversation.

Zuko found the brother and sister interesting. Actually, he found them all interesting. But those two picked at his curiosity like none other.

To start, they both hated him.

Perhaps it was all due to the fact that he was Fire Nation. The Prince of the Fire Nation no less. Or maybe it was because he had chased them all over the world.

Zuko had a theory that the girl(Waterbender, Water Wench, Katara, whatever) harbored a dislike for him that was infinitely greater than her brother's. The so called "Warrior" tried, at least, to remain civil to Zuko at times. He occasionally treated him with indifference, but he never tried to pick a fight.

Which brought Zuko to the waterbender. She hated him with a passion worthy of a Firebender. She was always trying to get a reaction out of the prince. It was had for Zuko to stay cool and collected when he was treated with glares when passing her in the temple corridors, or hearing her offhanded comments during supper about the atrocity that was his nation.

Second, they acted like a real brother and sister should.

Where there was one tanned, blue-eyed tribes-person, there was usually the other not far away. They were each others' confidant. The brother _always _went to his sister for help or advice, and vice versa. They interacted with smiles, laughs, teasing words and playful shoves. These things were so unfamiliar, so _foreign_ to the prince. They were things he could never hope to have. His sister was not a sister, but a terror.

Zuko sighed and walked towards the group. He shuffled over to wall a small distance away from the rest of them. As he leaned his back against the cool stone, he saw the Avatar tap the earthbender on the arm, whispering quiet words into her ear. The small girl rolled her eyes. The next thing Zuko knew, a slab of stone popped up in front of him.

The firebender stared blankly at the figure, then look at the Avatar. The boy's gray eyes said, _go ahead. _With another sigh, this time almost inaudible, Zuko gracefully took a seat.

The welcoming gesture seemed to irritate the waterbender, as she loudly huffed and turned to give a glare to the Avatar.

And then, it became silent.

Zuko wondered if what they wanted to say to each other wasn't for his ears, or if they were all just uncomfortable around him. He supposed it was going to take a long time for them to completely warm up to him, to trust. Even longer for the waterbender and her brother.

Finally, the Avatar, _Aang, Z_uko supposed he should start calling him, spoke up.

"You're just in time,Zuko," he said. "Breakfast is going to be ready soon." At that, Zuko noticed the pot sitting over a fire near the group. "Did you sleep well?" the boy asked.

Zuko only nodded.

When the silence returned, the waterbender got up and walked over to the fire. After stirring whatever was in the pot, she announced, "Alright, guys. It's ready."

Everyone jumped off of their seat. Except Zuko. He stayed seated, frozen in his spot as the others got in a line, waiting for the waterbender to serve them their ration.

Zuko only rose from his spot when the Avatar waved him over. Zuko slowly got in line. He watched as the waterbender served them sticky rice in a bowl, complete with chopsticks and a smile. After receiving their food, the others dispersed and went back to their seats.

Now it was Zuko's turn.

He dreaded having to it. Having to walk up to the girl, practically begging her to feed him. Having to watch as she angrily got a bowl ready for him, shoving it in his chest. Zuko winced at the thought.

But wait, what was he doing? Was he actually afraid of the younger girl? Why should he, the Prince of the Fire Nation, care about a peasant's judgment?

_Because now you're just like them, _Zuko's mind told him.

Crossing his arms, Zuko looked blankly ahead as he slowly stepped up to the waiting waterbender. Seeing him, her face wrinkled slightly, but she quickly turned away. She hastily scooped the meal into a bowl, threw in a pair off chopsticks, and held it out to him.

Zuko looked up, his eyes locking with hers as he slowly reached out to grab the bowl. Her blue eyes pierced him. Oh, how she hated him. With a slight narrowing of her blue orbs, she turned away, back to the pot. Zuko said a quick, quiet thanks, then stalked back to his seat.

While the others dug into their food ravenously, Zuko took small, slow bites of the bland rice. He longed for the colorful, flavorful, spicy, and downright _delicious _meals that were served in the Royal Palace. Looking at the content in the bowl, Zuko felt a burst of anger in his chest.

It would be a complete lie if Zuko said he didn't miss his old life, because he did. A lot. He missed the colors of his nation, the somber blacks and varying shades of red that were so vibrant and couldn't ever be overlooked. He missed his comfortable bed. He'd trade tossing and turning all night on a hard cot in the breezy Air Temple for his room, warm and clean.

But wishing for those things was silly. Zuko was positive that he would never have such things again. When the war was over, of it was ever over, if he wasn't dead, Zuko had no idea what he would do, or where he would go.

Where did someone like him belong?

Those things weren't important right now, however. The only that mattered at the moment was the Avatar's training. He should really-

"But Katara!" came the whine of the Water Tribe boy, interrupting Zuko's thoughts.

"I said no, Sokka!" was the sister's reply.

Zuko could feel the beginnings of a headache. No matter how close the siblings were, they still fought often.

"_Katara_," Sokka whined again.

His sister stomped over to him. She threw out her arms emphatically as she said, "Stop it! You already had seconds! We need to save the food if we want some later. You know that."

"But I must eat!" the teenager cried.

Zuko rolled his eyes as the two bickered. As the talking turned into shouting, Zuko's head started to throb.

As the siblings got louder and louder, the Avatar seemed to become more and more distressed. As did his lemur. The creature started screeching as shouts continued to fill the temple.

"Guys!" Aang warned. "You know Momo doesn't like it when you fight!"

But the brother and sister paid no attention to him. The throbbing in Zuko's head became stronger with each shout and screech.

Zuko's temper was starting to flare. _This _was why he was never able to meditate. He put his hand to his head and closed his eyes, massaging his temples. And then:

"La la la, I'm not listening. La la la!"

Zuko's golden robs snapped open, coming to rest on the Avatar. Zuko was shocked to see the boy closing off both ears with his hands, meaningless rambles coming from his mouth.

And _this _was the Avatar?

Zuko felt like his head had been smashed into a rock. His heart started racing. And when he let out a slow breath, the tiniest tendril of smoke came out.

"KATARA!"

_Screech!_

"NO!"

_Screech!_

"La la la! La la la la!"

"ARGHH!" Zuko shouted as he jumped off his seat. Fire shot from his hands, a large spiral of flames flowed from his mouth. The temple became silent.

Zuko extinguished the quickly, clenching his hands into fists at his side. He breathed hard, his whole chest heaving. Tiny sparks were still coming form his fingertips.

The group was staring at him with a mixture shock and fear. The Avatar, the earthbender, and the brother were all gaping with their mouths open. The waterbender was downright _pissed_.

With another shout, Zuko moved forward. He stalked past the shocked group angrily.

As he stomped away, the Avatar said, "Zuko! Wait!" He was probably following him.

"Aang! Get back here!" came the voice of the waterbender.

The last thing Zuko heard was the earthbender girl say, "What's _his _problem?"

Zuko climbed the winding steps of the temple that led to the mountainside. He needed to calm down. He needed to meditate. And since he couldn't do it in the temple, he was going to do it somewhere else.

He walked until he couldn't see the stone temple anymore when he looked back. Down the mountainside he traveled. A half hour later, he was on the edge of forest. He ventured into the trees without stopping.

After walking through the woods awhile longer, Zuko stopped. There was a creek by his right, surrounded by flat, green ground. He plopped down unceremoniously, getting into his meditative position. He closed his eyes.

In, out. In, out. He breathed slowly, trying to slow his racing pulse.

Zuko knew he shouldn't have done that. He overreacted, period. He could have left without saying a word. Instead he made a big spectacle of it, his rage controlling his bending.

Zuko shook his head in shame; he should have been able to control himself.

What was he going to do now? Would he be accepted back after what he did? He could have severely hurt one of them. Zuko wouldn't blame them if they didn't let him come back.

The only one to blame is himself.

Zuko sighed and opened his eyes. He rubbed his face with his hands.

All he had wanted was quiet. Was it so hard?

And then, realization dawned on him. He was alone. And it was quiet. The forest was unusually void of sound. Zuko looked at his surroundings.

Judging by the position of the sun and his natural instinct, it was close to noon. If he starting meditating now, he could be done and get back before the sun set.

It was either meditate in the middle of the forest, or not at all. Zuko chose the former.

Closing his eyes, Zuko took a deep breath, then slowly let it out. Over and over he worked on his breathing. When it became steady, he moved to focusing his mind.

Zuko cleared his mind until there was nothing left. Thought of his father, his honor, the Avatar... he threw them all away for time being.

With his mind cleared, and his breathing controlled, Zuko started to feel relaxed. He began to visualize, just like his uncle taught him. He imagined his mother's garden. He imagined the beautiful flowers, the warm breeze, the clear pond with happy turtle-ducks quacking away. Then he was sitting on the side of the pond, throwing pieces of bread to the hungry creatures. He felt a presence behind him. Zuko turned, expecting to see his mother. But instead he saw someone else.

Avatar Roku.

Suddenly, the image disappeared. The garden, the pond, the turtle-ducks... they all went away. As did the peaceful relaxation. The only thing Zuko could see was blackness.

Zuko knew he was out of his trance. But why couldn't he open his eyes? This type of thing had never happened before...

Zuko then felt on odd tingle creep up on him. It started with his feet, moved to his legs, then his body and arms. All the while he was frozen in place. Why couldn't move? Hid whole body felt odd, the tingling sensation swallowing him whole. Zuko tried to thrash about, tried to move, but he was stuck. It was as if someone had cemented every limb in place. His skin prickled and his pulse started racing again.

And then there was a flash of light.

* * *

There was shouting. Screaming. It was so _loud. _

Zuko's head hurt. Bad. Eyes still closed, he realized that he could move. He tried to sit up, but some force pushed him back. He tried again, but with the same result.

There was still some shouting. Why was someone yelling out numbers?

Zuko tried to reach out with his hand, but a soft voice said in his ear, "No, not yet."

The voice made him jolt. Zuko knew that voice; he could recognize it anywhere. He'd never heard it sound so soft, though.

Zuko began to thrash. More shouting. Incoherent words filled his ears from all over. The warm voice said some thing else, but Zuko couldn't make out what it was.

His head was buzzing. Zuko wanted to open his eyes, but they felt extremely heavy, like they had weights on them.

Another shout. More voices speaking. One soft whisper.

He needed to open his eyes, needed to see what was going on. Using all the strength he could muster, Zuko snapped his eyes open. Everything was blurry.

Talking all around him. A delicate word of encouragement.

When Zuko's golden eyes focused, he looked up into the bluest pair of eyes he'd ever seen.

And they were so, so very familiar.

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**A/N: Yeah, I really should not be starting a new story so soon after finishing one. But, alas, I couldn't get rid of this idea. This one won't too long, though. Probably around... eight chapters maybe? Eh, we'll see.**

**Thanks for reading!**


	2. Confusion and Tricks

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender**

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Today I'm not myself

And you, you're someone else

And all these rules don't fit

And all that starts can quit

-"Au Revoir" by One Republic

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Zuko didn't know how long he'd been staring into those blue eyes.

It could have been days, months, or even years. But it all ended when she spoke.

"Sir? Sir, are you alright? Can you tell me your name?" she said gently.

Zuko noticed that he was surrounded by people. They made a circle around him, their unfamiliar faces all showing the same emotion: concern.

_Where am I? _was the first thought to cross his mind. As he surveyed the area he felt a hand on his back, helping him into a sitting position.

Zuko's ears were ringing and pain was shooting through his head. He groaned, face twisting into a scowl. He raised his hand to touch his head when a different hand stopped him.

"Oh, no, don't touch," the feminine voice chastised him. As she pushed his arm down, Zuko got a look at the woman who was kneeling next to him.

It was her. The waterbender. She look different, though. Older. How had she aged? The girl (woman?) beside him was not fourteen anymore. But it was her. Definitely her.

"Sir? Can you tell me your name?" she asked.

Zuko opened his mouth, but the pain hit his head again. He grabbed his head, hunching over in his place. _Stop _his mind said to the agonizing pain. He thought he might have said it out loud.

"Sorry, but that's not going happen. I'm a doctor, you see. Well, I'm not one _yet_, but I will be, and- wait! Where are you going?"

Despite his hurting head, Zuko had gotten up and stumbled away. He pushed past the circle of worried people, going somewhere, _anywhere._ He looked all around, but was blinded by fast moving objects and flashing lights. Feeling the sun, Zuko looked up. But there wasn't any sky. Where was the sky? Had it disappeared? The only thing in its place were massive, rectangular structures that went up and up and had no end. Everything was bright. _Too _bright. His head pounded.

Zuko continued forward, stumbling, tripping over his own feet. He wanted to get away from here. Where was the Air Temple?

Moving quickly, Zuko was abruptly pulled back. Something was on his arm. Or, rather, some_one_.

"Are you crazy?" asked the waterbender, her grip on his arm extremely tight.

"Let go," he demanded, pulling his arm away.

Zuko tried moving again, but the girl was strong. She stayed rooted in place as he tried to step forward. Since she wouldn't let go, Zuko was going to have to pull her along. Forcefully, Zuko lurched ahead, dragging the girl with him.

"Stop! Stop!" she exclaimed as her grip on him was loosening.

It became a game, one Zuko used to play as a little boy in the palace. It was where two people would be on either side of an object, usually a rope, and they would each pull. Whoever pulled the other forward, or made the other lose their grip, won. That's how Zuko felt now. Only, in place of a rope, was his arm.

"Stop," the waterbender repeated, weaker than before.

Agitated, Zuko turned to the woman saying, "What do you want?"

"I-I... you can't just walk away! You're hurt. The ambulance is going to be here soon. Besides, I'm just trying to help," she responded.

"If you want to help me, you can start by telling me where the Air Temple is," he told her.

Her blue eyes clouded in confusion. "Air Temple?"

Zuko scowled, annoyed. "Don't play dumb with me, waterbender."

"W-waterbender?"

Zuko turned away, rolling his eyes. Obviously, the girl wasn't going to help them get back to the temple. It was just like her, to pretend that she had no idea where it was located.

How she found him, Zuko had no idea. And why had he been acting kind towards him?

Frustrated to no end, Zuko began walking away again. He would just have to find his way back himself. Which way to go...?

Zuko noticed that he was in some sort of rectangular courtyard, sort of like the ones in the palace, only bigger. Lush green grass covered the ground, with tall trees scattered around creating shade. Where the grass ended, some sort of flat, dark paved trail ran around the courtyard. On the opposite sides of the dark, angular trails were the large buildings that scaled to the sky. All around him, there were people. Walking, running, lying on the grass. And they were dressed oddly, too.

The strangest thing was the objects that glided on the trails around the grass yard. Zuko could only describe them as a strange type of machine. They moved quickly, and had flashing lights on the front and rear. They came in all sort of shapes and colors.

How strange.

As Zuko walked, the grass came to a stop, and he cautiously stepped onto the smooth ground. The mechanical objects whizzed past him. If he tried to cross the way, would they stop? Of course they would. He was a prince, after all.

Calmly, Zuko stepped forward. He thought he might have heard a shout com from somewhere behind him, but he paid no notice to it. He took another step. Another shout, louder this time. Closer. From his right came one of the machines, small and black. Zuko knew it would let him pass, though. As it came faster and faster towards him, Zuko took another step.

The object made no show of slowing down though. Zuko began to doubt himself. When it was within twenty feet of him, it made a piercing wail. Zuko's heart pounded. It wasn't going to stop. It was going to-

He was quickly pulled back, out of they way of the machine. He groaned as he made contact with the ground, scraping his elbows.

The object made another wail as it flew past him. Then, it turned right and disappeared.

Zuko breathed out a sigh of relief. He began to get up so he could-

"Oh my God, are you okay? Of course you're not, you were almost just hit by a car!"

It was the waterbender again. Looking worried, she bent down, grabbed Zuko's arm, and pulled him up. She checked him, up and down.

"What are you doing?" Zuko asked, not kindly.

"I'm taking you back over there," she pointed to the grass, "and we are going to wait for the ambulance." She started to pull him.

Zuko was taken aback by this. "I'm not going anywhere except to the Air Temple. And you should, too. The Avatar is probably waiting."

She stopped and turned to him, puzzled. "Is your head okay?" She reached her hand up to his head but he slapped it away. Hard.

"Do not touch me," he asserted. Peasants did not touch princes.

"Yeesh. Fine. But you are going to the hospital."

Hospital?

"No." He said. "I'm going to the Western Air Temple."

"Look," she said. "I'm pretty sure there isn't any place here called "Air Temple" or anything like that. At least, not in New York."

"New York?" Zuko repeated. "Is this some city in the Earth Kingdom?"

"Umm. No, it's a state."

Zuko gave her a blank look.

"You know," she continued. "Like in the United States."

Zuko became even more confused. There wasn't any place in the Earth Kingdom called "United States." Not even in the Fire Nation, or the Water Tribes. It wasn't a name of an Air Temple, either.

The waterbender gave him a look. "Yup," she said, nodding once. "Definitely going to a hospital." And with that, she began pulling on him again.

"No," Zuko said, pulling back.

"Yes."

"No."

"_Yes_,"

Agni, now they were starting to sound like her and her brother.

What was with her? Zuko knew she was the mothering, nurturing, nagging type. But she didn't even like him. In fact, she hated him. She'd pretty much made that clear long ago.

"I refuse to go with you, waterbender."

She stopped. "But you're not well," she told him.

"I do not care. I need to find the Air Temple."

She sighed, defeated. "Fine. But get some rest, first. If you start feeling dizzy, ask a friend or family member to take you to the hospital."

Zuko nodded noncommittally. He just wanted her to leave him alone. He needed to get back. She would have to find her own way back. Or maybe the Avat- Aang, maybe Aang would come get her. The bald boy did seem to have a soft spot for the girl.

He started to turn away, but he stopped when she asked, "You are going to go home right?"

Zuko didn't respond. He didn't know how to.

"Do you live around here?" she continued.

Zuko hesitated, then shook his head.

"Do you have money to buy a room?"

Zuko's brow furrowed. "Huh?"

"A room. In a hotel. Do you have money for it?"

Another shake of the head.

At that, she dug into the bag she was carrying. She pulled out a smaller pouch, rifled through it, then pulled something out. She outstretched her arm, her hand holding small pieces of rectangular parchment. They were a pale green color, much like the the hue of the blind earthbender's.

"Here," the waterbender said. "Take it."

Zuko took the pieces from her hand, studying them in his own. After a moment, he looked back at her.

"Well?" she said. "Aren't you gonna go? You really should lie down."

"I do not understand," Zuko said, somewhat sheepishly.

The look on her face could only be described as sympathetic. She seemed to ponder on something, and for a moment Zuko thought he saw her eyes light up, but it came and went.

"Well then, how about I take you there?" she asked, sounding eager.

"Fine," Zuko said. "But only if you leave me be once we are there."

She nodded. Taking his arm, she directed him to the left. They walked on the paved trail the was alongside the street where the machines moved.

They walked quietly. In the silence, Zuko thought about the woman walking next to him. Why was she helping him? Was it just a trick to lead him away? And why wasn't she just as concerned about getting back as he was?

They'd never had a good relationship, if it even really was a relationship at all.. They had always been enemies. In a half hour they had spoken more words to each other than in all of their traveling (well, Zuko's chasing) and even when he joined her side she still hated and avoided him. Why was she being nice? Her attitude towards him was the complete opposite as before.

"What's your name?" the woman blurted out, interrupting Zuko's thoughts.

Didn't she already know?

"You know who I am," he stated, annoyed by her act.

"No, I really don't," she said.

Zuko looked at her, appalled. The waterbender was really getting on his nerves. He looked at her, expecting a smirk, but instead she look genuinely serious. And curious.

"Pr-" he started. "Zuko," he then amended. He knew that she didn't care very much for his title as prince. Especially being the prince of a country she hated and often mocked.

"Okay, Zuko. I'm Katara Kuruk."

Kuruk? As in Avatar Kuruk?

She stopped walking to hold out her hand to him. "It's nice to meet you," she said.

Zuko stopped, too. He look from her face to her hand, then back to her. What was she doing? Did she want something from him?

With an exasperated sigh and a shake of her head, Katara pulled her hand away. She began walking again.

After walking a bit more, she brought Zuko to a large structure with many balconies on the side, stopping at a transparent door. She opened the door, gesturing for him to walk in. Slowly, he did. She followed in after him. They were in a room with a few chairs and a rug, with a desk sitting off to the side. Katara then walked in front of him, going forward and leading him down a clean, brightly lit hallway. On each side of the hallway were doors. Lots of doors.

Curiously, Zuko followed her to the end of the hallway. To his surprise, she turned right and began walking up a flight of steps.

"Where are you going?" he demanded.

"To find a room for you," she replied without turning around.

Zuko sighed and followed behind her. The sooner they got to where she's taking him, the sooner she would leave him alone. She led him up three flights. He guessed they were on the top level. He trailed behind slowly as she strode down the hallway, finally stopping at a door.

"You said I had to pay?" Zuko said, but Katara paid no notice. She confidently walked inside, stopping once she was through the door to motion for Zuko to walk in.

"This is a 'hotel'?" Zuko asked once he was on the other side. The door closed behind him.

The door opened into a reasonably sized room, appearing to Zuko as a sitting room. It had small table with a few chairs around it, including a sofa. Looking to the right, Zuko saw a section looked very much like the kitchens in the Royal Palace. To the left, a hallway. Directly across from the sitting area was a window, clear and glassy, and the on the other side of it there appeared to be a balcony. The place was nice. Quaint, even. Not overly decorated, but still classy.

Still nowhere near as grand as the Royal Palace, though.

The waterbender walked away from him, setting her bag onto the sofa. She didn't respond to his question.

"Katara?" the prince said, confused by her silence. Her name felt odd on his tongue. He had always referred to her as 'waterbender' or nothing at all.

He turned and locked eyes with her. Her blue orbs showed panic in them.

Zuko then realized what she had done. She had tricked him! The stupid waterbender. She had probably been planning the whole time to separate him from the Avatar and the rest of the group. He knew she didn't like that he was going to train Aang. He just never thought she would try to drive him away like this.

In the blink of an eye, Zuko was at the door. He was about to reach for the handle when the blue-eyed girl slid in between him and the door. She stubbornly blocked his path.

"Move," Zuko hissed, narrowing his eyes. _Or I'll make you_, is what he didn't say. She may be a master waterbender, but he was still stronger.

She turned her head up to look at him, her eyes now serious. "I can't do that. I can't let you wander off like this,even if you're a stranger. It's my _job _to help people. I can't turn my back on someone who needs me."

"If you are so keen on helping me, tell me where the Air Temple is," he said harshly.

"That's the _thing_," she replied. "I'm fairly certain there isn't an Air Temple or anything like that around here. Nothing you say makes any sense. Waterbenders, Avatars, Air Temples, it's just... not here."

"Prove it."

"What?"

"Prove to me that the Western Air Temple isn't near here."

She blinked. "Alright."

Katara moved away, walking across the room to a sort of wooden chest in the corner. She opened a drawer, pulling out large parchments of paper. After checking them over, she closed the drawer and set them down on the small table. She spread out one of them, gesturing for Zuko to look.

"See?" she said. "It's New York. There isn't any place in the entire state called "Western Air Temple."

Zuko was shocked. The map couldn't really be depicting where he was, could it? He was fairly certain that this 'New York' was no where on a full world map. Perhaps it _was _a city in the Earth Kingdom. But why would a lowly Earth city have all of the strange things he had seen today? The city appeared to be extremely advanced. But the Fire Nation was the most advanced country in the world. Everybody knew it.

"Show me a different one," Zuko ordered.

She put the map away, spreading out a new one. "This is a map of the globe. See, this is where we are," she said, pointing to a land mass on the western side.

Zuko's eyes scanned the map critically, confused at what they were seeing. She was lying. She had to be. He knew what the map of the world looked like, and this was not it. Sure, some of the land masses look similar in size and shape, but it wasn't the same.

"This... this isn't real. This is impossible," he said, heart beating quickly. For the fear time in a long time, the feeling of fear slowly crept into his chest. Not just fear, though. Uncertainty, too.

"But... it is," Katara insisted, meeting his eyes. Zuko could see that she was just as bewildered as he was about the whole predicament.

What he needed was answers. And whether Zuko liked it or not, she was probably the only one who could help him get them.

* * *

**A/N: Wow. This was a quick update. I have thoroughly surprised myself. **

**Anyway, thanks to all of you for your feedback on the first chapter! It does not go unnoticed!**

**And, as always, thanks for reading!**


	3. Questions and Answers

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender**

* * *

This world will never be  
What I expected  
And if I don't belong  
Who would have guessed it

-"Never Too Late" by Three Days Grace

* * *

No Avatar. No Air Temple. Could it really be true?

Zuko stood frozen, taking it all in. Is it a dream? A trick? Katara had no idea who the Avatar was, and there wasn't any way she could be faking it.

It was as if he wasn't in his own world.

But that was not possible, right? Of course he was in his own world.

Yet, everything was so... different. Strange. Odd. As far as Zuko could tell, everything in this city was far beyond anything in the Fire Nation.

So if he wasn't in his own world, where was he?

"Here," Katara said from his right. In her hand was a cup filled with a clear liquid. Water. Looking at it, Zuko realized how thirsty he was. He took the glass, gulping it down in seconds.

Katara chuckled. "Thirsty?"

Zuko only nodded, not very happy that she was laughing at him. What was going on was definitely _not _a laughing matter on any terms.

Her giggling ceased as she noticed the look on his face. "Um, I think that maybe you should lie down, now." She motioned to the sofa.

"No," he responded, voice hard. He didn't want to sleep. He needed to think.

Katara immediately scowled. "I'm doing this for your own good. You might have a concussion, or even _amnesia_, and you're not going to get better without proper care."

_This _was the Katara he knew. The nagger. The caretaker. Despite being somewhere completely different, she was exactly the same.

She had started talking again, but Zuko wasn't listening. He sat down onto the soft sofa, looking up to glare at her. Her talking stopped. Smiling slightly, she nodded once.

"Would you like a blanket?" she asked him.

Zuko shook his head, eyes already closing. The sofa felt good under him. He'd been sleeping on the hard cots or the ground for so long. It reminded him of his bed back home.

With thoughts of the Royal Palace, Zuko drifted into sleep.

* * *

When Zuko woke, the first thing he noticed was how warm he was.

Then, he remembered what had gone on before he went to sleep.

He jolted upright on the couch. At the movement, a large, soft fabric fell off of him and onto the ground. He leaned to pick it up. _A blanket_, he thought, rolling the fabric between his fingers.

Pushing it aside, Zuko got up. He walked away from the couch, going to-

He stopped and looked around. Where, exactly, was he going?

And where was Katara?

Zuko called out her name, the sound echoing through the house. She did not appear. He said her name again. No answer. Zuko walked forward, looking down the hallway. Was she in her room? He stumbled down the dark hall. He pulled opened the first door. "Katara?"

As soon as the door was open all the way, strange objects crashed down on him. He let out a yelp as something hit his head. He rubbed the sore spot, closing his eyes, wincing as he heard the crash of more things hitting the hard floor. When the sound stopped, he opened his eyes. There was a mess all around him of colorful objects that he did not know the name of. The only thing he could distinguish was a with mop. The items scattered the hall. Scowling, he decided not to check anymore of the rooms, not wanting to have anymore strange objects attack him.

Where was Katara? Clearly, she wasn't in the... what was the place called?

Zuko's eyes widened as a single thought ran through his head. What if.. what if she had tricked him? Again! She probably left for good, back to the Avatar, leaving him in this strange place without a clue.

Zuko had to give her credit. She was smarter than he had thought.

What was he going to do now? Leave, most likely. But where would he go? Katara was the only connection to his world, even if she didn't act like she knew it.

From her actions thus far, Zuko could tell that she wasn't going to help him, however. In fact, she was probably back with the Avatar right now. He would have to do it himself. Just like he did everything else.

He made for the door. He wanted to be rid of this place, of this world. He wanted something _familiar_.

Just as Zuko reached for the door handle, he heard a noise come from the area to his right. He paused, momentarily distracted. Shaking his head, he grasped the knob that, with one turn, would get him out. Besides, it was none of his concern.

The beeping came again.

Zuko had to admit that he was curious. This world was so strange. Katara's home was strange. But maybe there was something that he could bring back with him. Perhaps there was something that could benefit the war effort. Something that could help them beat the Fire Lord.

That's who he was now; just another piece in the game. Everyone in the group was the same. They all had the same, imperative job- train the Avatar and help prepare for the war.

He'd chosen to give up on getting his honor back, on gaining his father's approval. He chosen to give up all of that and join the other side. He was a good guy now, no matter how bad he was at being so. If there was something, anything that could possibly help them win, everything other person in the group would stop at nothing to get it.

So, Zuko decided, that he would at least check out the house before he left.

Releasing his hold on the handle, Zuko walked to where he thought the sound came from. He stepped around the counter that sat in the center of the kitchen area. He heard the sound again. His head whipped around, eyes landing on a square object that sat on the counter. It was a silver color, and shiny. There was a small circle on it that glowed orange.

It was a strange contraption. Two slits cut the top of it, with some sort of lever on the side.

How odd.

Deciding that it would do no harm, and probably wouldn't help either, Zuko moved away. He felt along the smooth counter-top. It cooled his hand as soon as it made contact. It stopped at a large indentation. A sink. Next, there were an array of jars and containers lined up against the wall. He didn't bother to open them.

Below the counter-top, there were handles that stuck out. Zuko pulled one, opening a drawer. Inside were long, silver objects. Utensils, they must have had been. The drawer was split into sections, each one holding object that had different tops on them. One of them had a long oval top that curved in. It looked familiar. The next one had four prongs on the top instead of a smooth curved surface. Recognizing a familiar shape, he picked up one of the items that had a hard black handle with a sharp blade on top of it. A knife.

It was quite small and dull. His dao swords could have put it to shame. Running his finger along the blade, Zuko's mind wandered.

A sound from the door brought him to his senses. His hand jolted up, slicing his forefinger. A small flash of pain went through him as his finger throbbed, much like his head had before.

The handle of the door rattled. Zuko's head turned towards the sound.

What was going on? Was someone breaking in?

Could this be the next stage in Katara's plan?

Who was on the other side? Pirates? The Rough Rhinos? His father?

Setting down the knife, Zuko slowly crept towards the sitting room. The door shook again.

Zuko raised his arm and bent his knees to secure a firm stance, preparing to send a fireball at the intruder as soon as the door opened. The handle shook harder than before. Zuko let out a long steady breath.

The door swung open.

Zuko's hand shot forward, but nothing came from it. Not even a swirl of smoke. Zuko looked down at his hand in extreme confusion.

Remembering he was not alone, he looked up to see an equally confused face watch him.

"Is everything, alright?" Katara asked, setting down the bags in her hands and stepping forward.

Zuko ignored the question, asking his own instead. "Why are you back, Waterbender? Your plan was working perfectly," he spat angrily.

"Plan? I-" Katara paused as she looked him up and down. "Zuko! You're bleeding!" she said, alarmed, rushing to the kitchen.

Zuko looked down at his hand, and, sure enough, small drops of blood seeped out of the wound on his finger, running down his hand. Katara was suddenly next to him then, taking his hand and wrapping it in a warm, wet cloth.

"How did this happen?" Katara asked as she squeezed his finger tightly.

"What does it matter to you?" Zuko asked, scowling. He wanted to pull his hand away.

"This is _my _house. You are my guest. It matters."

She lived here? No, that wasn't right. Her true home was in the South Pole, in the Water Tribe.

Katara pulled the cloth away, and checked the cut of his finger. The blood flow had stopped, thanks to her.

"I'll get you a band-aid," Katara said as she stepped away, and walking towards the hallway before Zuko could ask just what a band-aid was.

She appeared a moment later, demeanor completely changed. Katara stood at the end of the hallway, arms crossed and frowning. Zuko stared blankly at her. It made her scowl even more.

"What is this?" she demanded, sweeping her arm behind her. She gestured at the mess on the floor.

"I, uh," Zuko stuttered.

"Unbelievable," Katara muttered as she moved towards him. "I leave you alone for two hours and you already started tearing my house apart."

"Those things attacked me," Zuko defended himself.

"Yeah, because we all know that cleaning supplies have a personal vendetta against humans," she snorts sarcastically.

Katara takes his hand and wraps something sticky with a soft pad in the middle around the cut on his finger. A... band-aid, was it? Interesting.

She walks over to the couch and sits down. She looks at him, waiting. Zuko just blinks. She then rolls her eyes, patting the seat next to her. Zuko slowly shuffles over and sits down next to her.

"Okay," Katara says. "First, I know this is probably a little overwhelming, considering your condition. But we're going to start with the fact that I think you have amnesia."

Amnesia? The term was not unfamiliar to Zuko.

"It was probably caused by a concussion, most likely from what happened this morning."

"And what happened this morning, exactly?" Zuko asked, desperately wanting to know.

She made a face. "I'm not quite sure. All I saw was a large group of people in the park as I was walking by. I went over, and, there you were. I asked around, and I was told that you just, I don't know, _appeared. _Someone else said that they you might have been hit by a car and then stumbled on the grass. That you looked like you were hurt. And then I kneeled down next to you. And you woke up.

"And, well, here we are," she said.

Zuko took in her story. If what she said was true, then everything else was true. He was in a whole new world. But how did he get here?

And her. Katara seemed so accustomed to this strange place. But how could she? She grew up on a block of ice. Maybe... maybe she's different too.

"Do _you _remember what happened to you?" Katara asked.

Of course he did. The memory was clear as day in Zuko's mind.

But this place was different. She was different.

Katara had no idea of what bending was, or even who the Avatar was.

Did that mean there were two of her? One of his world, and one of hers? If that was true, it meant she wouldn't believe his story.

She would think he's downright crazy.

"No," Zuko replied. "I don't."

"Where do yo live? In New York? Or are you just visiting?"

"I don't know."

Of course he couldn't tell her that he was from the Fire Nation. She wouldn't inderstand.

"What about you family? Where are they?"

His family? His mother was dead, and his uncle was still in prison.

"I have no idea."

Katara gave an exasperated sigh. "Do you remember anything?"

Of course he did.

"I'm Zuko, and I have a..." Zuko's eyes widened. He jumped up from the couch, practically sprinting to the mirror that hung on the wall.

His scar. It was still there. But looking at his reflection, Zuko saw that he looked older. Just like Katara, he wasn't his sixteen year-old self. He was taller, he thought. The angles in his features more defined, his shoulders more broad. But his scar was still the same. He raised his hand to touch the rough skin.

"Burn scar. Second degree, it looks like." Katara's voice said from behind him. A heartbeat later Zuko could see her in the mirror behind him.

"Can I ask what happened?"

"How old am I?" Zuko says, avoiding her question.

"You don't look too much older than I am. Maybe twenty-three, twenty-four."

More than half a decade than before. Zuko didn't know what to think.

In the mirror, Zuko could see her looking at him in fascination. Or maybe it was his scar. He looked away. He didn't like it when people stared.

"Second," Katara said, "I got you some clothes. I'm not quite sure what you're wearing, but for your sake, I think you should change."

Zuko looked down at his red tunic, breeches, and boots. He looked at her, wearing a short sleeved tunic and some sort of breeches that were dark blue and looked tightly woven. It was... revealing, Zuko decided. Much more than the long blue tunics she was always wearing. Her clothing and his were quite opposite, in this world.

Did he stick out? He hadn't noticed any strange looks from passerbys on the street. But what if they had been staring, noticing for themselves just how out of place he was?

"The clothes are from my brother. They should fit, though."

Her brother? Could it be? Was Sokka here, too?

Zuko wanted to ask her about it, but he didn't. He couldn't. If Katara didn't know who he was, then her brother probably wouldn't, either. Not in this world.

And that meant he couldn't tell her anything.

Nothing of his home, who he was, or who he knew could slip from his mouth. Zuko would have to act like he couldn't remember anything, for the sake of not raising attention.

"Why did you come back?" Zuko asked. He still had a suspicion that all of this was just apart of her plan.

"Because I live here. And I wasn't going to just leave you at my house."

If she was speaking the truth, Zuko knew she had to be a different Katara. She obviously belonged here.

Zuko did not.

"Anyway, I really think you should go to a hospital, Zuko. Just a few scans on your head, that's all."

"No."

"You don't understand. This could be serious. Amnesia is nothing to play around with," she said.

"No," Zuko repeated. She started talking again, but he tuned her out.

He supposed the only way to make her let it go would be to do something he'd seen the blind earhbender do many times.

"Didn't you say you were a doctor?" Zuko asked, interrupting her spiel.

"I-" she paused. "Well, not yet. I'm hoping to be accepted into medical school this fall. But, I'm taking some summer courses."

"So you essentially could address the situation yourself, could you not?"

"I, well," she thought about it. "I suppose I could. But I'm not sure if-"

"Then it is done."

"But, Zuko-"

"No."

She sighed, exasperated. "Fine. I suppose I could take a look at your head. It seems like that is the only problem. There is a possibility that you could regain your memories by yourself."

Zuko nodded, relieved that it worked. The blind girl really could be a genius at times.

"So..." Katara started. "Can you really not remember anything?"

Zuko just shook his head. Had he always been this good at lying?

"What are you going to do, then?"

Zuko didn't respond. He had no clue.

"Well, maybe... maybe you could stay here until you figure something out."

Zuko looked at her, surprised. This was _definitely _not the same Katara. And if she was willing to help him in this world, maybe there was a possibility that he could find a way back to his own. He didn't belong here. All he needed was some time.

"My, ah, roommate, or ex-roommate, just moved out, and there's an empty room, so..." she trailed off.

"Alright," Zuko agreed. Katara gave a small smile, then moved to the door to pick up her bags from earlier.

She came back to him and held one of the bags out. Zuko took it.

"These are a few days worth of clothes. And pajamas." She said it almost sheepishly.

Zuko raised an eyebrow. Had she planned to invite him to stay?

Zuko didn't know how to feel about all of this. Here was Katara, the girl who hated him, inviting him into her home and giving him things. He'd never been shown this sort of kindness from her. It was very knew.

That's because she was new, Zuko reminded himself. This world and everything in it was uncharted territory.

"Will my... memories come back to me?" Zuko asked, filling the silence, but also wondering what she had in mind for what to do with him.

"Over time... it's likely. We just have to give your brain a push."

"How are we going to do that?" Zuko inquired.

"Oh," Katara said, smiling, "you'll see."

* * *

**A/N: Hmm... What does Katara have in store for Zuko?  
**

**Thanks for reading!**


	4. Cooking and Unwelcome Findings

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender**

* * *

They say your head can be a prison

-"The Take Over, The Breaks Over" by Fall Out Boy

* * *

By the next morning, Zuko had decided that the bed in room Katara let him sleep in was better than any in the Royal Palace.

It was extremely soft, and it molded to his body perfectly. He'd gotten the best sleep of his life last night. Nevertheless, he still awoke early. But for the first time, he almost didn't want to get up and leave the warmth of the sheets above him.

It didn't take much to remind him of where he was. When Zuko first opened his eyes he knew something was different. Looking around, he did not see the plain, tan stone walls of the Air Temple. Instead, the walls were green. And there was a strange object on the ceiling. He sat up,blinking the sleep from his eyes as light came through the window, making a glare on the hard brown floor. There were a few other things in the room, such as a desk and a large, rectangular drawer, but that was it. Zuko vaguely remembered Katara saying something about a previous roommate.

He stood up, wobbling a bit until he steadied himself. The floor beneath him was cold, sending shivers through his body. The air felt a bit cold, too. Was the season in this world like his own? If it was, it shouldn't feel this cool for the start of summer.

Zuko walked forward until he was at the door. He grasped the handle and opened it, peeking his head out to see if Katara was awake. He guessed that she could be, as the lights were on and there was a smell wafting through hall that hopefully signaled something edible.

He walked down the hallway, arms crossed over his cotton clad chest. Cotton, Katara had told him last night, was what a majority of the clothes worn here were made of. It was mildly soft and durable, but not nearly so as the clothing royals and nobles wore in the Fire Nation. The shirt was plain black, and Zuko wore a pair of sleeping breeches of the same material. _Pants _she had called them. Zuko didn't think much of the crisscrossed lines on them, but he had no choice but to wear what he was given.

Upon exiting the hallway, he saw Katara standing in the kitchen, she appeared to be cooking. She was messing with something in a pan that sat atop one of the four circular platforms of a smooth black surface that was attached to the counter. He had yet to find out its name. Katara must have heard his entrance, because she quickly turned her head. Her eyes found his figure and she smiled. She gestured for him to come by her.

Zuko shuffled across the floor until he came to stand against the side of the counter-top island in the middle of the kitchen area. Katara turned a dial on the cooking mechanism she was using then turned around to face him.

"Good morning," she said cheerfully. "How did you sleep?"

"Fine," Zuko mumbled in response, not really looking for a conversation. Instead, he took Katara in from head to toe. She wore a shirt with ruffles on it, as well as a dark pair of the tightly woven pants called jeans. She was more put together than the day before. Was this what 'dressed up' was in this world? In his, that meant heavy layers of decorative robes with intricate stitching. He might have asked her, but he wanted to save his ears from a lecture on clothing styles, as she had partly done the night before.

"Will you watch the toast for me?" Katara asked him, pointing to the metal box with the two slits in it. Zuko didn't know what 'toast' was, but he moved to the counter anyways. A minute later, Zuko yelped and jumped back as two objects jumped up from the two slits in the box.

Katara found this tremendously funny, and started laughing loudly. Zuko backed away from the bow, retreating to his previous position. He scowled as she pulled a plate from a compartment above, pulling rectangular pieces from the box, setting them on the plate, still laughing. She set the plate in front of him.

"Don't be upset. It happens to all of us," she chastised him, then giggling as she stepped away.

Zuko didn't respond. Instead, he looked down at the plate. Two pieces of what could be bread sat in front of him, golden brown and radiating heat. He picked up one of the hot pieces, taking a small bite from the end. He had been right; it was bread, just warmed and slightly crunchy. It wasn't too bad, however.

"You're not just going to eat it like that, are you?" Katara asked. He watched as she opened a door of a gray box that stood next to the counter. It was much bigger than the toast making one. She pulled out a clear jar that contained a thick red substance and a rectangular container. She set them before him, then returned to the pan.

Zuko didn't know what to do with the things she just gave him,nor did he know what they were. So instead, he took another bite.

When he was finished with his toast, Katara walked over to him, the end of the pan in her hand. She scooped something yellow and flimsy onto his plate. He looked at the blobs, then turned to Katara.

"What?" she asked. "You don't like eggs?"

Eggs. People here ate... unborn animals? Strange. Zuko didn't really want to eat them, but with the way Katara was looking at him, he decided to take a bite.

They were... slimy. With a weird taste. Zuko concluded that he did not like them, and pushed the plate away. His hands had crumbs on, but he didn't know where to wipe them. He looked a Katara expectantly. Realizing what he needed, she open a drawer, pulling out a small cloth and handing it to him.

"You, could have asked for a fork, you know," Katara said as she turned a lever and water spouted into the sink. She squirted a bottle of thick liquid into it, and a moment later the sink was filled with bubbles. She then lifted the pan and his plate into the bubbly water.

"Are you not going to eat?" Zuko asked to her back.

"I'll pick up something on the way to class," she replied without looking at him.

"Class?"

This time she paused and looked over her shoulder. "Yeah." At his blank look she continued, "You know... teachers, papers, tests. College."

There was no college in the Fire Nation, Zuko knew. Children went to school, receiving excellent teaching, then when they turned a certain age, they chose a field to work in. And that was that. Of course, their field options depended on class, but he did not know of any extra schooling beyond the required. He knew this 'college' was extra because Katara was clearly passed the age of being in required schooling. But what were its benefits?

"Anyway, I'll be gone for awhile. I get done with class at noon, but then I have work. So I'll probably be back in time fore dinner. Can you handle that?"

So she was just going to leave again? What was he supposed to do until she got back?

He gave a shrug to answer her question, then left the kitchen and went back to the room he was residing in. He shrugged out of the sleeping clothes and put on a new shirt and jeans for the day. The clothes lent to him were a bit tight on his shoulders and arms, but there was nothing he could do about that. Sokka _was _a kind of small.

Returning to the sitting room once more, Zuko saw Katara was putting on a light coat. Wasn't it the beginning of summer? Surely it wasn't cold out. He voiced this observation to her quietly, and the look she gave him could only be described at sympathetic.

"It's fall," she said. "Almost winter."

How could that be? When he was... taken to this world, it was the end of spring. The seasons couldn't have changed so drastically within such a short amount of time. Was it still summer in his world? If not and summer had passed, that meant the comet had come also. Were they able to beat it?

Zuko desperately hoped that the seasons were just opposite in the two worlds.

"Okay, so, I'll be back later. In the meantime, you can read or watch a show or a movie, or... something." She paused and frowned. "But _no _leaving, cooking, or making a mess, got it? This place better be in one piece when I get back."

Agni, she sounded so much like a mother.

He grunted in reply. Katara then put a bag over her shoulder, grabbed anther smaller one from a hook on the wall by the door.

"See you later, Zuko," she said as she stepped out the door then closed it, leaving Zuko in silence, wondering what a 'movie' was.

* * *

Sometime later, the doorknob shook, causing Zuko to turn his head away from the window and to the rattling door. After a few more seconds of the handle shaking, the door swung open and in walked Katara. She looked a little disheveled and tired, but she still greeted him with a smile when she saw him.

Zuko turned back to the window. He'd stood by the window most of the day, watching the sun change its position, waiting for her to got back. It was dark outside, but large towering buildings lit up the sky and everything below them. New York, Katara had called the place. It seemed that the city never slept. Everywhere he looked, there was something moving.

"Zuko?" came Katara's voice from the kitchen.

Zuko slowly moved away from the window, making his way towards her. He watched as she flit around the kitchen, pulling a pot from under the sink, various boxes, from above, and a few utensils from the drawers. She pushed a few buttons on the object that she had made eggs on this morning, the turned to him.

"Would you like to help?" she asked him.

"Why?"

"Doing various activities might trigger your memory. If you helped cook, you might remember something about what we're making, or maybe you'll get a glimpse of a memory of a family member doing the same," she told him.

Zuko wanted to laugh. None of his family members cooked. Royalty had servants and chefs who did such tasks for them. But then he remembered whom he was supposed to be: just guy who lost his memory, someone who was from this world. So he only nodded, and waited for her to tell him what to do.

A moment later, she handed him a green box. "Take the noodles out and break them. I'll fill the pot with water, and then you can watch them."

She picked up the pot and moved to the sink. Zuko was left with the green box in his hands. Curious, he shook the box. Upon hearing the sound, Katara turned to him with a pointed look.

Zuko looked at Katara, then to the box, then back to Katara. "I... do not know what to do," he said.

She stopped what she was doing and came over to Zuko, showing him how to open the box and prepare the noodles. Together they cooked their meal, Katara doing most of the work. Zuko wasn't very hungry, and the bland noodles didn't strike up an appetite, so he sat back and waited for Katara to finish.

When she was done, Zuko watched as Katara did the dishes. At the Air Temple he would often watch her do them, having nothing else to fill his time. Never once did he offer to help. Neither did the others. The scene was exactly the same, no matter what world they were in. She would quickly, yet thoroughly, clean the dishes in silence. Occasionally she would hum, some strange tune that Zuko had never heard before. The only difference was that here, Katara used the sink. Usually, she would use...

Bending.

Waterbending.

But she didn't. Why didn't she?

Zuko knew the answer. But he wished it wasn't true.

His hands began to shake, heart pounding as he hastily left the kitchen and went to the spare room. Zuko shut the door behind him. Hard.

He was... angry. Furious.

Zuko didn't to be taken to this world, to have his bending stolen from. Firebending was a part of who he was.

He moved to the center of the room, planting his feet into his stance. Zuko punched and kicked, but not one lick of a flame came. He tried again.

Nothing.

For awhile she stood there, unsure of what to do next.

Then, there was a knock on the door. Zuko only turned his head to stare it. Another knock came.

"Zuko?"

He sighed. No doubt she was here to ask him what happened. He shuffled to the door and opened it. Katara's hand was poised for another knock, and she sheepishly put it down.

"Uh, are you okay?" she asked him, concerned.

This was wrong, Zuko decided. She shouldn't be worried about him. She should hate him. And they should both be benders, because that was who they were.

"I'm fine," Zuko said, frowning,hoping she couldn't see the angry fire blazing in his eyes. He held onto to the door, preparing to shut it.

"Did you... did you gain a memory? What did you see?" she asked, eager.

"Nothing," Zuko replied as he started to shut the door. "I saw nothing."

Her hand quickly shot out, pushing the door back open. "You're lying," she accused, sounding hurt.

"I'm not."

"You are. There's something you're not telling me."

"I'm not. There isn't," Zuko said. He pushed the door against her hand, trying to create a barrier between them.

She was strong, Zuko admitted to himself. That didn't change. It would probably never change.

When the door was almost shut, Zuko heard Katara say, practically in a whisper, "Can't you see what I'm trying to to? All I want to do is help you, Zuko."

How could she? Zuko couldn't tell her what was happening to him, or who he really was. As long as he was here, his thoughts would be stuck in his mind.

Zuko paused. Then he cracked the door open a little bit wider, just enough to see her, to look into her confused blue eyes.

"I know," Zuko said. Then he shut the door completely.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading!**


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